EurOil: Norway to patrol seas near oil, gas assets

Norway plans to co-ordinate patrols of seas around its oil and gas platforms with the UK, Germany and France, following suspected sabotage at the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last week, the country’s prime minister said on September 30.

Nord Stream 1 and 2, which run from Russia to north Germany, sustained four leaks on September 26, with Moscow and various European governments concluding that sabotage was likely the cause. Norway’s government announced on September 27 that it would beef up security around its oil and gas installations in response, particularly as multiple unidentified drones were identified near platforms on the same day.

Norway, now Europe’s largest gas supplier following steep reductions in deliveries from Russia in recent months, has some 90 oil and gas fields, the majority of which are linked to the national gas pipeline network that stretches some 9,900 km.

The government in Oslo has already said it is deploying its navy, coast guard and air force to increase security around oil and gas platforms in light of the Nord Stream incidents. Seismologists in Sweden recorded explosions on the day that the leaks occurred.

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